The other side of the street chp1 :On patrol
by spasticspoon
Summary: The preface of the story The other side of the street. About the main character of THAT story's parents. Read my profile for more details about the author. I do not own KoRn or any other brand/ music used in the story. I do btw own the story.
1. Chapter 1

It's dark. I can feel the damp air; it rained yesterday. My eyes are not as acute. I only see shadows the street light is flickering. Through the flickering I can see a trash can it's over flowing with cardboard and soft drink cups. Nobody bothers picking up trash down here anymore. They say it's too dangerous.

Most animals and sane human beings strive to stay far away from this place. In the daytime hours teenagers dare their friends to run and touch the back wall of this alley. Nothing ever happens to them I guess it's just for thrill. No other sane person would come here at night, not even the homeless scavengers and those crazy old women that try and sell you a "cure for your diseases" come close to this alley.

Luckily my outfit, along with the broken street light shields me from passing cars and wandering eyes. I'm wearing a black leather jacket, which cost me a small fortune but provides great warmth and disguise when called to. Along black tee shirt under that provides me with even more protection from suspicious eyes when I will need to take the jacket off. I am wearing black jeans. They fit so tight to my body. These are the type of pants that the skater and emo boys wear so they can catch the eye of on looking girls. My pants actually do the opposite, especially in the wee hours of the morning. My shoes are, yes black, and the are metal-toed, that should give you a pretty good idea about how heavy and thick they are. Their rubber soles are heavy and you could easily swash a bug or someone's toes, if one was not paying a bit of attention when wearing them.

Like I said before, no human being would be caught dead in this alley at one pm in the morning. Not many people are even in the streets at that hour. The only people out are in the coffee shops studying for the un-passable test or they are completely stoned or close to that state falling over in a bar.

So, what am I doing here? Why am I dressed like a goth kid? And what the heck am I doing here at 1:07 in the morning? I promise you will know soon.

I am not the only one that stands in alleys at night; in fact somebody is probably standing or will be standing an alley near your house tonight. People like me have one sole job. To keep people like you safe from one of the most ancient of diseases. Vampirism. It has been around since the time humans came to this earth. Most people think about pointy teeth and black capes and blood. But vampirism is much more than that. When a person contracts the disease they start crave different things, like really salty meat or coffee or other "ancient foods. Ancient foods are foods that have been around a while and are usually simply made for example tea, coffee, chocolate, anything with chili powder and of course meat. Once the disease wears on the person will start to loose most of their human nature. They want to be violent or have impulses to do things. Garlic does not necessarily keep vampires away, garlic and other plants with thick odors distract the senses from what they are really attracted to, blood or meat. Vampires do not attack in the night and bite you neck leaving you stranded on the floor. Correction, most don't. Sometimes a person will contract the disease and do not tell anybody. They let the disease wear on until they loose all sense and run feral through the town. Its our job, the other vampires to capture the stray ones and to take them for treatment.

I still remember the night I contracted "the disease". It was an accident of course. It was two years ago, it was my 21st birthday and I was with friends. I was walking back to my apartment. I was in the storefront part of town and I was busy looking into a window of a local store, I hoped my friend was there. He was and employee if the store. I hadn't seen him for a while. it was like he just dropped off the map.

The last time I had seen him, he was in a hurry his eyes where bloodshot. He looked pale and the only thing he said to me upon this encounter was "hey" and then "I have things to do catch ya later"

I peered into the door and the lights were out. I stuck my head to the glass unaware of the danger behind me. I whipped around. I met a pair of bright yellow eyes and an eerie smile the next thing I felt was a piercing feeling on my jaw. Who ever it was bit me on the jaw. I fell down on the pavement. I opened my eyes and saw my friends face and body, but his clothes were torn. His eyes were wild and inhuman in appearance. I yelled then he kicked my head. I knocked out partially because of the kick and also due to the fact that I was bleeding badly. I woke up in a hospital room the next day. I was hooked up to machines that looked like they were from some sci-fi movie. I tried to sit up but I was strapped onto the bed. I was also in a strait jacket. I started to feel the huge need to escape and tried to pull away then I started screaming struggling.

A doctor finally walked in and informed me that my friend had bitten me and that I was a vampire (basically everything I am, telling you now). Eventually I got landed with the job of standing in the alley waiting for the vampires that went wrong to pop up.

Vampirism does not have a cure. You can ease you symptoms by doing something really distracting. Like sniffing garlic, the smell of garlic can make you forget any desire you might have. Another easy thing is to be busy all the time. Vampires that do not wish to be so, usually over schedule themselves so they have no spare time to think about doing. Sunlight actually does bother us. But we know if we stay in sunlight at least we won't grow to fear it. A great way to get over this symptom is to go to the beach and sit out near the pool all through the summer. If we ever have the huge urge to eat some raw meat right off the meat counter or pounce on someone the last thing we can do is to slip on some headphones and listen to some wailing electric guitar and long guitar solos that make even the most hardcore person get a headache. This takes your mind off of the distraction without seeming odd.

I must focus. The light has gone out. The alley is deep. I take one step. Then another. My breath is cold and silent. I feel tense, this is not new for m, but being alone in a dark alley is always unnerving. I am now half way through the alley. I stop. Nothing yet. It's 1:17 now. I have to keep my energy focused on the back wall.

The light flickers on again. The alley is clearer now. I can see graphitti on the wall Then I let my guard down. I can feel my toes unclench in my boots. I gently slip my fingers in my pocket.

My only weapon clenched in my hand. I remember learning how to use it. Everybody has to carry a weapon in this city, vampire or not. I choose a switchblade. Some people prefer a heavily decorated pocket knife or even a huge blade that has to be carried in a small back case. Everyone has a weapon that fits them. This one is mine. I know if I was attacked that my blade could easily be used to fend off the attacker.

You would think that if there are so many vampires then why isn't the news full of horror stories and why are people still out at night without a care. Well, vampires rarely resort to biting. Usually they dodge their attacks or they get scared and retreat. Some vampires may be inhuman but they are not stupid. They know that people should not see them kill someone. They usually stay in hiding until nighttime and choose to break into a store and steal some meat. That is why we are here; we keep the vampires at bay and from eating people.

The light has flickered off again. My hand slips out of my jacket pocket. I keep on walking deeper into the alley. With each footfall I am more aware of y surroundings. I am in the trashiest part of the alley. My hyperactive senses make the place smell even worse. This place would make the bravest dumpster diver cringe. I can feel trash and other unknown objects underneath my feet.

Three hours of waiting in this stupid alley has payed off. I can see movement on the back wall. I pull out my knife and with a swipe of my wrist. My knife is very well taken care of so it doesn't make a sound.

It is plain to see that the movement on the wall was not a rat or a stray cat. It was a person. This is what I have been waiting for.

This has happened many times. I am ready.

He lunges at me. I throw my jacket off and make a run for it. He jumps at my jacket while I jump across the alley. He lands on the ground and makes a screeching noise. This screech would make a lot of people cover their ears and run away. It is eerie and inhuman, but I am used to it.

He lunges again. He tackled me and tried to bite me. I then felt his hands on my shoulders (I use the term hands loosely, they are mare like claws) I fell the pain as his nails dig into the meaty part of my shoulder. His breath indicates he has not eaten a breath mint in months. My blade is still in my hand. I move my arm across my body and my blade slashed his face. I just cut him. He hissed and grabbed his face. The pain is gone. He finally has removed his hands from my shoulder. I grabbed his neck and try to pinpoint his pressure point. I missed.

The light flickers back on; it is apparent that he has already been in a scrap this week. He ran to the wall. I run faster and catch him. I push him to the ground. I get him on his front and use my knee to press down on a pressure point on his back. Then I sit on him. He uses a free hand to scratch my chest. He rips my shirt. I yelp. My chest is bleeding. I cut his hand with my knife and bear down harder on his back. I stick my knife into my jean pocket.

I sit for a while and taunt him. I tell him "You thought you had me didn't you?". He hisses and groans. They hate it when I have power over them.

My adrenaline rush is wearing off and I am getting cold. My jacket is too far away to reach. I pull out my cell phone and dial a number. The operator answers. It is lady with an accent, but I can't really tell where it's from. "May I help you"

There is no need for an introduction. Chances are, if you are calling this number it's not an accident.

"I got one between 47 and 6," I say.

"We'll be there in a minute, sweetie," she says.

I press the red button, ending the call. I close my phone and check the time. 1:30 on the dot. I hate waiting. I am freezing now and the guy under me is moaning. I am still bleeding form the scratch but, it not too bad. The smell is also bothering me. I would really like a steaming cup of black coffee. Over the trash I can smell burning coffee coming form a near b 24-hour coffee shop. This does not help at all.

After about two minutes three people are here. One is standing next to me. The other two a checking to make sure this poor guy is not a crazy hobo or a completely drunk student. They carry him out of the alley. The guy standing next to me is asking "Dude do you need us to clean that up for you?" He points to my shirt.

"No, I'm fine man" I say, while I am grabbing jacket. I put it on and zip it up and start walking to my apartment. On the way I spy a coffee shop there is nobody there except for the man at the register. I think to myself. "I deserve this" and I walk in.


	2. Chapter 2

I hear the bell ring on the door. I walk up to the counter. This is not the most popular coffee shop so, no staring as I walk in. The man at the counter is looking at a binder, hoping that magically the words on the page will become imprinted on his brain. He barely looks up as I walk in.

"May I help you?"

"Yeah, one black coffee"

He pours the black liquid into a green mug and hands it to me. I can smell it. Wonderful.

"Anything else for you?"

"No thanks."

" That's 93 cents"

I dug around in my wallet and found three quarters, and a whole load of other coins. I knew it was more than enough to pay for the coffee. So I handed them to him and said "Keep it"

I sat at the small coffee bar. Then I remembered that I had blood all over my shirt. I took a gulp of my coffee, damn this is good. I snuck off to the bathroom. Once I was in a stall I took off the shirt. The wound was still bleeding slightly. Just about 3 scars, not bad. I stood up off the toilet and stretched and the scars un scabbed themselves and started to bleed. Not long after the skin grew closer and the scar dissipated. Yep. Vampire healing powers. That still didn't help my bloody shirt. I put it back on and pulled my jacket over it. I opened the door and got back to my coffee.

It was so good (not that the coffee itself was any better than the next, it was just so cold and I was really wanting it.) I was not even done romancing with my cup of coffee when there was a ding at the door ad a girl walked in.

She has hair down to her neck, it was brown. It smelled of coconut. She was wearing a black fleece and brown dress pants.

She started rattling off a montage of things for her coffee to the guy at the counter. I was sore because my romance with the coffee was ended.

Then it occurred to me that I was dressed funny and I hoped she wasn't a chatty know-it-all person.

After she gave her money to the man she sat down two chairs down from me. I silently sipped my coffee. I was done. I looked at the dark street from the windows I could see that the tiny trees outside were swaying. The wind wasn't bad, I could walk back. It was 1:30 but I didn't care. I had nowhere to go until 11:00 the next morning. While debating that the guy, the "coffee tender" asked if I wanted a refill, "Sure" I said. He took the cup and refilled it. He slid it back to me. I reached for it and as I did my knife fell out of my pocket. It landed with a "Chink".

"Uh God" I said.

The girl stared at me. I picked up the knife and stuck it in my pocket. I took a sip of my coffee. She was still staring at me, not like an I'm-going-to-stare-a-hole-in-you-if-it kills-me stare more like the kind of stare that you give a math book. A puzzled look.

"Crap! is there blood on me," I thought to myself.

No blood. Then I saw that she was not looking at me necessarily but, my shoes.

Another "O crap" from my brain. I am not that kind of guy I swear, I wanted to shout.

I shifted my feet. They always face inward, like 1st graders. I forced them out. She moved her gaze from my shoes to her coffee again. I went back to my coffee. My thoughts were not in order. I had a chemistry class tomorrow at 11:00 and a history of American Literature class that evening. I had the day off from my vampire hunt. I had a graphic design project that was almost finished that had to be finished by the end of the week.

Something jolted me form my worries. The light music coming from the stereo started playing a familiar beat.

The song was popular during the time I was in the hospital. They used to play it in the hospital over the intercom. Most of the time I had noting to do but sit in my straitjacket and enjoy the music. Of course the people at the hospital called my parents.

I remember when they first saw me there. They had not yet let me out of the jacket. When they walked in my mother burst into tears. I was so happy to see them, I smiled. This a obviously a bad choice because the beginning signs of my disease were starting and my teeth were growing abnormally large my gums were sore and red, which means they looked like I had been drinking red kool-aid for the past 3 days. They scared my mom. My parents always wanted the best for me and the best from me. I was the oldest child and had to set an example.

My mom sat in one of the chairs on the other side of the wall. My father stared disapprovingly at me.

"What have you done" my mom yelled in between sobs.

I started to have tears in my eyes. What would they tell everyone? And my younger brother and sister.

"Answer your mother!" my dad screamed at me.

"I unno" My teeth made it hard for me to speak clearly.

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

"I idin't do anything. I was walking."

"At night" my dad gave me a more disapproving look at me

"From my job" I said a bit too loudly. I was working in a drug store at the time.

My dad groaned my mom's sobs grew louder. She was muttering "my baby" that obviously wasn't me. I knew my dad was thinking that his son was a failure and a freak and that his son would chew up his face when he wasn't looking.

Then the song came on the radio. I stared at the ceiling, and I got tangled up in the words.

"I'm sorry" I said, trying to stay calm and collected.

"Too late" my dad hissed.

And that was the last time I talked to them. The only time I heard from them was when they sent Christmas cards. I read them faithfully every year and I always tacked the family picture on my wall. It always made me sad to see that when the letter was talking about the kids in my family. There was something written about Molly (16) and her soccer and then me, who every year "was doing well in college". I always wrote back. I wrote about classes and I always wrote P.S. I'm sorry. No reply.

Once I saw where Molly's team was playing a tournament on my campus. I stopped by. She scored a goal. I cheered and she noticed me. Mom and Dad fawned all over her. She pointed to my general direction. My dad stared at me.

"I'm sorry" I mouthed and then I slunk off.

Needless to say all my friends left me after that. So did my girlfriend. The only friend I have now is my roommate, George. He is also a vampire we get along even though, we are polar opposites.

Back at the coffee shop I was still listening to the closing cord of the song, the song that had so many times popped up in my life. I had tapped out the whole beat on the coffee counter. The girl stared at me.

After it was over she asked "you like this song?"

"Yeah" I said bit too eagerly.

"I've never met a guy who liked it"

I shrugged. It was 1:45 and I was tired but, I decided that I really wanted a new friend so, what the hey.

"Hey I'm Mikey by the way"

"My name is Abby"

"That's a pretty name, short for Abigail?"

"Yes. Do you go to school here?"

"Yep. My major is chemistry, what's yours?"

"Food science, I hear chemistry is a tough major"

"It's okay. I've changed my major four times so, whatever works"

"Your parents let you do that?"

"Yep. They were the ones that suggested it, they wanted me to be learned"

"My parents just wanted me out of the house" She laughed. I liked it. I hadn't heard laughter in a long time.

We talked for awhile about classes and other university related things. I looked at the clock on my phone. It was 2:30.

"I'm sorry to cut short but it's 2:30"

"Really? No kidding, Time flies"

I started towards the door but, I stopped when I heard her voice, "Do you have a ride?"

"No" I said

"I'll take you home"

I was at the door I held it open for her. I noticed how tall she was. I was always the tallest one in my classes as a kid. She was almost as tall as I was. We walked to an old parking lot and got into a car. My eyes were extremely bad and I could not tell what model it was.

She unlocked the door and I got in. I gave directions to my building. We rode for about 10 minutes we talked about classes.

When we got to my building she gave me a piece of paper. It had her number on it.

"Call me if you need a ride or something. I only live two buildings down."

"Sure" As she drove off I waved I walked up the stairs. C109, finally I was home. I walked in. I was a mess, no surprise. George was home, his uniform was draped over the couch. His uniform was not anything like mine, except it was black. His was a black hoodie, a black shirt, wide leg black "Goth pants" and black running shoes. His uniform did not differ at all from his every day clothes. I smelled garlic. I walked to my room, on the way I spied George leaning over a sink of garlic. I had learned to back away during these periods of relapse.

I went to my room grabbed my glasses and took a shower. All the blood dripped off me and I was finally satisfied.

I slipped back into the living room. George was on a couch. George was a big bulky guy. He had a huge red brown beard. His features do not remind you at all of a vampire, more like a mountain man.

He said "what kept you?"

"I got one, and then I celebrated with coffee"

"Since when has coffee kept you out this late?"

"I met someone there"

"Girl or guy"

"You sure are nosy tonight. And it was a girl if you must know."

"Was she hot?"

I threw a pillow at him then I went back to my room. I took off my glasses. How I had lived without them tonight was a mystery to me.

I laid down without puling down the covers and went to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day I woke up at 9:00. Is studied for chemistry until 10:00. Then I actually got dressed. Unlike the wardrobe I was dressed in last night today I was wearing a green tee-shirt that said "I don't do mornings without my coffee". It was my favorite shirt because it was true and my sister bought it for me. That made me sad every time I wore it. then I went on the daily search for jeans. I only owned 3 pairs, one for work and 2 for just day wear. I went searching in my closet and found one pair. They were worn and torn in almost every place. I had no time to shop anymore and no money. My parents paid tuition up until last year, so I am in huge debt. I hold down 2 jobs, one at the design school on campus and the vampire hunter one (this one does not pay much). I had to sell my car, and get another job and take out countless loans to cover it all but, I manage somehow.

George was pretty well off. His parents covered tuition and half the rent along with an allowance that George promptly spent of junk, which would end up all over the apartment. He also got a car last year for his birthday.

After pulling on my jeans I ate breakfast, Ramen of course along with three cups of coffee.(my morning ritual) Then I remembered Abby. "Well," I thought "I do have the night off . I found the paper with her number on it and I dialed.

I got the answering machine, "This is Abby and Liz, and we are not here right now. So leave a message."

"Hey, it's Mikey, I have the day off right now so, if you want to meet up for coffee or something that would be great." I gave her my number and hung up.

Two hours after I had just walked out of chemistry and my phone rang. The caller I.D had Abby's number. I picked up the phone.

"Hey" I said.

"Hey" She replied. "I got your message and I am free tonight"

"Great. Anywhere you want to meet."

"What about the place we met last night" she said, right after I was done talking.

"Sure, is 7:00 fine."

"Actually, 8:00 is better"

"Sure, see ya then."

"See ya" Click.

I walked back to the building It was really cold for November. I didn't have a jacket on. It was warm when I left but, it was much colder now. On cue about 2 blocks from the apartment, George pulls up.

"Hey you need a ride?" George said, while rolling down his window, so you couldn't hear the fist two words.

"Sure. Could you have come any later?"

"Yes" George replied in a sarcastic tone. I got in the car.

"So" George said, in a tone that meant he wanted something. "Do you mind taking my shift tonight?"

"yes, I do. I've made plans."

"Since when do make plans on a Wednesday?"

"Since now"

"Does this plan have to do with that girl you met last night?"

"Maybe" I said. like a first grader that was guilty of doing something.

"Since when do you get girls?"

"Since when do you ask so many questions? And why do you want to skip your shift"

"Well my relationship with Mary has grown and we wanted some more time together"

Mary was George's girlfriend. Girlfriend was a gentle term for Mary; she was a bother half the time. She would drop by and eat all the food we have. My food was apparently more delicious, since she always ate what little food I had at the time. I would walk into the kitchen and she would be sitting on the kitchen table eating my chips or soup or chocolate or occasionally sipping out of my only coffee mug. Then when I would ask her about the food she would giggle and say "sorry mikes, I thought you wouldn't mind". After which, she would throw the bags and packages on the floor and leave them there. Even worse was at night when she and George would become so evolved with each other and they would conveniently make-out on the couch when I was studying in the kitchen in full view of their romance. She also called me shrimpy. I was twice as tall as her and about 1/3 her weight.

"So what's her name" George said in a sing-song voice.

"Abby" I said, not think about my answer

"Hey dude, you really need some new clothes"

"Ya think"

"Yes I do. We are going to the mall"

I tried to think the last time George and I went shopping. Probably three month ago when it was Mary's birthday, and they dragged me along because "I was girly enough to know about fashion". My fashion sense went as far as polyester was not in.

We drove for about 15 minutes, while George played 20 questions about Abby. None of the questions were actually answered.

We pulled into the mall and George dragged me in. It was decorated for Christmas already and as soon as I stepped in I heard the screams of a two year old that wanted to leave.

"I hate this place" I said scowling

"O cheer up. You have a date tonight."

"It's not a date!" I shouted at him for the hundredth time.

"Sure it isn't"

"You realize I'm broke, right?" I said changing the subject

"No your not, here" He shoved an American Express card in my hands. "Go enjoy yourself"

"Thanks"

First I looked at the map of the mall. I had not been there too many times. Then I made a mental list. Here is what I need: Jacket, jeans, new black tee shirt and dark chocolate. I stopped in a few clothing stores, full of teenagers, bought two pairs of jeans. Then I bought a nice sweater. I went to a men's store and found a jacket. Then I stopped into a specialty candy store and bought some Ghanaian chocolate, that would be hidden upon arriving home.

I was done. I wanted to leave now more than ever. I found George in his favorite goth store. I had about four bags and his credit card.

"Is that all you bought?"

"Yes. and I want to leave"

"Whatever you may never have my card again"

We went to the parking lot. We had stopped as a sub shop on the way out and eaten. I had nowhere to go, so we drove to the apartment. I studied some more. And hid my chocolate under my bed where a tub was.

I pulled it out. this was a tub of all my picture and memories. I took them off my wall after I moved into this apartment. Two years of Christmas card pictures, banners from high school, and a photo album. I leafed through it. Molly had made it for me before I want to college. Pictures of me as a baby, a toddler and a kid all neatly aligned on colored paper. That was all I could handle. I closed it and stuck in back in the tub. Along with the chocolate. Then I pushed it under my bed.

I walked into my closet and grabbed my guitar. I was a basic acoustic. I had had it since I was 14. It was surprisingly in good shape for 9 years of torment it had gone through. I found my guitar case. It was decorated with a few bumper stickers and signatures of basically everyone I had ever known. I was written in silver sharpie. One had been marked through with a black sharpie, but the signature still showed through. It was the signature if the guy who bit me.

I put the guitar in it's case and walked into the living room where George sat with Mary.

"So I hear you have a date tonight" Mary said, pulling down her mini skirt that was obviously purchased out of the junior section, that was meant for someone 7 times smaller than she.

I gave George a dirty look and mumbled "not a date."

"Nothing to be ashamed of. Is she cute?"

"Cuter than you " I said as I walked out the door.

"That wasn't nice" George shouted from inside the room.

I was glad to get out of there. I walked down the street to a seemingly abandoned building. Upon opening the door I was hit with the smell of smoke. There were an abundance of artists and musicians practicing. I walked over to the stage on the right side of the room. Sitting on the stage on the right side of the building was a college aged guy.

His jeans were hanging off is skinny legs, his shirt was off. His skin was so pale that he looked like a ghost. He was looking down at his shoes. His hair was hanging in his face. When he looked up you could tell his hair was combed onto one side of his face. His hair was stark white. His hair came to a point and at the end it was dye black. His covered his right eye. He was wearing glasses over his left eyes and his hair laid over the right lens.

I sat next to him he looked up at me.

"Hey Crisco" I said as I sat down.

He squinted, "Oh, hey" He said.

"What's up" I said.

"The ceiling"

"Smart ass" I said laughing, he laughed too.

"How 'bout 'chu"

"George and his girlfriend are being assholes."

"I can't imagine" he said sarcastically.

Crisco and I could probably write biographies on each other. He knew about George, Mary, my parents basically everything. I knew about this family, his sisters and his love of music. He opened this building to all starving musicians and artists. Some casting agents and people that want talent stop in and watch/listen.

He devised a long annoying application process to make sure that rich bands that want a free place to practice don't come in. I had applied shortly after I was bitten. He excepted. I noticed he was in the same American Literature class and we hit it off.

"So, what's George onto you for?"

"Well yesterday I met this girl and so I asked her to get coffee"

"OooH I see." he interrupted but, sometimes I swear Crisco was psychic.

"Let's get started then" he said.

I started plucking at my guitar strings and he tapped his drumsticks on the stage. We talked, we played until everyone was gone or packing up. It was four o' clock, time for American Literature class.

Every week we went to classes together. We actually took turns driving. It was my week. He threw the keys at me.

"Hey, pull the car up while I lock up."

"Sure"

I walked out and went to parking lot. I found a blue 1970's jeep. I started the engine and pulled up in front of the building. Crisco locked up and jumped into the car. He turned up the radio. Loud music blasted trough the stereo it was a familiar song that I couldn't remember the name of, something by KoRn I know that. I blared until we reached the big lecture building. We were almost late. But we ran in. It was a boring 2 hours.

After it ended we went to our favorite fast food joint. We flipped a coin to see who would pay. Crisco paid, for the fourth week in a row.

He dropped me off at my apartment. I walked up the stairs. I didn't intend to meet a new person with an old pair of jeans and a coffee stained shirt.

I opened the door and George and Mary were miraculously still there. I placed my guitar in my closet and I was about to change when I remembered I had left my new shoes in the living room. I walked in tried not to disturb the two lovers. I walked around the kitchen to the other end of the room where the shoes were. I looked up from the floor to see George holding a familiar black box. It was the fancy chocolates that I bought that afternoon. He was feeding them to her.

"What the hell!!"

George sat on his butt staring at me as if there was something wrong with my face.

"You went through my stuff you fat ass" I said grabbing the chocolates.

"We thought you wouldn't mind if we ate a few." Mary said weakly

"I hid them from you pigs! Do you think I wanted you to eat them if I hid them!" I was turning red and my veins were popping out

"Calm down, you paid for them with my credit card"

"No I didn't, if you had read the receipt you would know that" as I said this I picked up the bag the chocolates were in a took the receipt out and waved it at him.

I grabbed the box. "A few? There are only two chocolates left in here."

I threw the remaining chocolates at him. "Here take them get fat I don't care".

I stormed into my room and slammed the door. The living room remained silent as I changed. It was half an hour before I had to be at the coffee shop. I looked over at my bed. The tub was rolled out it had been rummaged through and everything was strewn all over the floor. My albums not only were out, they were opened and some of the pictures had been removed.

I walked over and fell onto the floor. I was so angry that I opened the door and shouted "OH NICE ONE GUYS!" They were still on the couch staring at me.

I stated the task of putting all the pictures back. There was a pattern of pictures. One from when I was a baby, my preschool graduation certificate, an array of school pictures, high school lacrosse pictures and prom and high school graduation.

Then I saw something that was set aside from the pictures, it was folder. I had forgotten about it. It was professional and it was full hospital records and a legal document separating me from my sister. It had been hastily put back in the folder. This wasn't George, George knew better. he also knew better than to eat my chocolates. It was Mary. Mary was incredibly daft for being in college. Everything was everywhere; anybody in their right mind would at least put it back in. Not Mary. I pushed the tub under my bed.

I walked straight through the living room. Then I stopped, George was in the bathroom this was my chance. I bent down to Mary's eye level.

"You may have looked at all my personal crap but, can't choke the story out of me." I was so close to her lips I smelled the chocolate on her breath. She, moved closer, I was right she was trying to get closer to me. She tried to kiss me. I grabbed her cheeks and squeezed them. And force them to the opposite way of my lips.

I stared down at her with a twist of my head. I made an eerie smile "No, love no chance." I used a sly way with my words. I would have been romantic, if it wasn't for the situation.

I heard the door opened. George walked out. I let go of her. I walked out. It was cold still. It was dark and I was just as alert as I am when I'm on duty. The street lights were fully on. I walked to the coffee shop.

I walked in and felt a rush of warm air. There were probably five more couples. I heard a soft voice, "You're early".

About two tables from where I was standing there was Abby. She was wearing a pair of skinny gray jeans and a warm sweater, her scarf and jacket were hanging on the back of her chair.

"Oh yeah," I replied

"Well take a seat"

The chair was noisy as I pulled it up. She already had coffee.

"Wow, I hardly recognized you with glasses."


End file.
